I just spent a wonderful weekend with several family members at Disneyland. My girlfriend was also able to take the train up from her new home in San Diego. It was nice to see her. For the next year or so, we’re doing a long-distance relationship until I can relocate out to San Diego and join her.
We had some flexibility in terms of how we spent our Monday. I did need to drive up to my current speaking engagement in Visalia, but other than that, she could take almost any one of the trains home. We didn’t have to worry to much about price. After enjoying a late brunch with my brother and sister, we decided we should extend our visit just a little bit longer and caught on afternoon matinee. I drove her to the Anaheim train station and waited with her by the tracks until her train arrived.
We sat there talking, making planes for her upcoming visit to Phoenix, and laughing about the great moments throughout the weekend with my extended family. Finally, her train arrived, we kissed each other goodbye, and I waved as she boarded the train.
As I started driving to my speaking engagement, I thought about how that can no longer take place for an airport. That finally story is lost, or at least it takes place outside the security gate. If a plane gets delayed, more time is spent waiting by yourself.
This blog isn’t about the changing nature of airline security (I’ve definitely experienced that in the years since 9/11), but rather it’s about how we craft our own stories.
Far too often, we make our daily interactions with people far too similar to the plane goodbye. It’s the quick drop off of someone at check-in or the goodbye wave at security. We don’t tend to linger or make the moment last a little bit longer.
But what if we did? What if we took just another moment or two today to enjoy the time that we share with people? What if we didn’t rush through our dinners, but enjoyed a leisurely meal and good conversation?
It may seem ridiculous, but we used to do this more as people before we made our lives about work, gadgets, and gizmos.
Airline security had to change after 9/11, but there is nothing that made us have to switch from “train” to “plane” in our own lives.
Enjoy the time you have with others–it’s such a valuable gift : )